KANSAS CITY, Mo. -

On Thursday, NCM Associates and The Rawls Group, a provider of long-term strategic and succession planning, announced the launch of the NCM-Rawls Dealer Executive Program, their new leadership development educational program for current and future dealers.

“Rapid changes in our industry, such as autonomous cars, ride-sharing companies and the electrification of vehicles, mean we need to adopt new approaches to training and leadership to help our clients succeed,” NCM president and chief executive officer Paul Faletti Jr. said in a news release.

“This new program does just that, leveraging the retail automotive expertise at NCM and The Rawls Group’s succession planning knowledge to ensure current and incoming dealer principals have the tools and skills needed to lead their dealerships into the future," Faletti continued.

At the start of the program students will take an assessment that identifies their natural leadership style.

“This tool then serves as the cornerstone for faculty and students to develop deeper insight using each student’s natural communication style to build rapport and engage, foster buy-in, and lead those around them,” NCM Associates said..

Once students get a grasp of their leadership style, the curriculum of the program will shift to dealership sustainability training through interactive discussions and coaching around issues dealers and successors commonly encounter, according to the company.

“Our experience confirms that manufacturers are implementing more stringent requirements regarding the attitude, knowledge, and experience of successor dealers,” Rawls Group chief executive officer Loyd Rawls siad.

“As succession planners dedicated to the totality of issues impacting continued prosperity of a dealership, we have been actively involved in all nuances influencing successor development and preparation," Rawls added.